Village Cooperativehttp://www.villagecooperative.com
Living Made EasyThu, 30 Jul 2015 14:02:05 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5Village Cooperative in Lawrencehttp://www.villagecooperative.com/press-photos/4867/village-cooperative-in-lawrence/
http://www.villagecooperative.com/press-photos/4867/village-cooperative-in-lawrence/#commentsFri, 17 Jul 2015 17:55:32 +0000adminhttp://www.villagecooperative.com/?p=4867Speaking of cooperatives, there are plans for a new multimillion-dollar retirement development in Lawrence that will use the cooperative model.

A Minnesota-based company called Village Cooperative says it has plans to build a new 52-unit housing development for people 62 years and older. The company hasn’t announced the exact location of the development, but an executive with the firm said it is a piece of ground on the south side of Sixth Street near the Wal-Mart at Sixth and Congressional. Look for more details on the exact location in the next day or two.

In the meantime, here are the basics as I understand them:

52 units that will range in size from 873 square feet to 1,507 square feet. Some units will be one bedroom, while others will be two bedrooms.

The development will feature heated, underground parking.

Ownership of the structure will be a cooperative model. Shane Wright, project manager for the development, said the project will sell 52 shares of stock — one share for each living unit. When you buy a share, you don’t really own the individual unit that you are living in. Instead, you own 1/52nd of the entire building. You are a shareholder in the cooperative, which owns the entire building. So, if something breaks in the unit you are living in, it is not your responsibility to fix it. It is the responsibility of the cooperative.

“There is a staff in place that does that for you,” Wright said. “We think it combines the best elements of owning and renting.”

Prices for the shares are expected to be about $75,000 to $125,000, Wright said. In addition, residents will pay a monthly fee of between $900 to $1,500. That fee covers all taxes, maintenance issues and some utilities, Wright said.

When it comes time to move, the cooperative markets your share to potential buyers. Wright said most cooperatives are marketing constantly to build up a waiting list of buyers. Wright said shares are expected to appreciate in value by about 3 percent per year.

The project is part of a larger company called Real Estate Equities Development, which is based in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Wright, who is an owner of the company, said the firm recently opened its first cooperative in the Kansas City area on Johnson Drive in the Shawnee Mission area. Another project is being marketed in the Lenexa area, and a groundbreaking is planned for a Lee’s Summit project later this year.

Wright said the company will seek to sell at least 50 percent of all its shares before it starts on the Lawrence project. He said the soonest a Lawrence project will begin is probably next summer, and the development likely would take a year to build.

I’m expecting to get more information about the site in the next day or two, and I’ll provide you an update when I do.

Lawrence, KS / July 7th – On Wednesday, July 15th at 1pm, the Village Cooperative of Lawrence, a senior housing cooperative, will host an Informational Seminar at Maceli’s Banquet Hall, 1031 New Hampshire Street, Lawrence. The seminar will provide information regarding the proposed age 62+ cooperative planned for Lawrence. The informational seminar will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the financial benefits & lifestyle of maintenance free cooperative living. Shane Wright, Project Manager, Real Estate Equities Development, LLC is the speaker for this event.

Senior housing cooperatives began in the 1970’s in Minnesota. There are approximately 105 senior cooperatives in the U.S., mostly found in the Midwest. There are currently 23 Village Cooperatives either operating, under construction, or being pre-marketed and can be found in five different states in the Midwest.

“Our company started developing Village Cooperative communities in 2003 because we saw the desire for this type of dynamic lifestyle. These communities give adults around the Midwest the option of an ownership, hassle-free lifestyle. We include the amenities they desire and all for a good value,” said Keith Jans, President of Real Estate Equities Development, LLC.

The 3-story Village Cooperative will consist of 52 new homes located in a convenient location close to shopping and many activities for members to enjoy. The Village will also feature beautifully decorated community areas including a community room with kitchen, guest suite, club room, reading areas, outdoor gardening beds, fitness center and underground heated parking.

Members will have the choice of expertly designed one and two bedroom homes that range from 873 to 1,507 sq. ft. of living space. Each home is completely maintenance-free and has its own separate laundry room, storage area and private balcony. Well-equipped kitchens include spacious, open floor plans with kitchen islands, all new appliances, and a choice of cabinetry to suit their personal style.

The cooperative will also employ an on-site resident services manager as well as offer courtesy services.

As a cooperative, the members control every aspect of ownership. There is no other senior cooperative in the area that offers the convenience and easy lifestyle available at Village Cooperative.

Shane Wright is the Project Manager and Steve Jahnke is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Real Estate Equities Development, LLC.

The Village Cooperative is offered by Real Estate Equities Development, LLC, a Twin-Cities, Minnesota based real estate development and property management firm with its roots dating back to the 1970’s. Over the past decade, Real Estate Equities Development has developed over 30 projects comprising 1,417 units with a value of $235,000,000 in urban, suburban, and medium-sized Midwestern communities.

A Minnesota real estate firm is making its first investment in metro Des Moines with a new senior housing cooperative slated for the Jordan Creek area.

Real Estate Equities Development LLC of Eagan, Minn., announced this week it plans to break ground in the next two months on a 55-unit housing complex called the Village Cooperative of West Des Moines. The 55-and-older co-op will be on South 60th Street just south of Mills Civic Parkway behind the Unity Point clinic.

Created in Minneapolis in the 1970s, the senior housing model has become popular largely in the Midwest. Co-op residents buy a share in the project, pay monthly maintenance fees and have a say in management. Shares can be sold and generally appreciate over time, said Village Cooperative sales manager Elin Herrman.

Co-ops differ from condos because residents don’t actually own their unit, but have a share of the corporation that owns the property. Herrman said the co-op also takes on more maintenance than the average condo, from fixing water heaters to watering residents’ plants while they’re away.

Village Cooperative of West Des Moines will be Real Estate Equities’ 12th senior co-op in Iowa.

Around central Iowa the company manages a co-op in Marshalltown and is constructing a 55-unit co-op in Ames. The waiting list in Ames has reached nearly 20, Herrman said.

Construction of the West Des Moines co-op is expected to take 12 to 14 months. It will feature underground parking, a community room, a car wash bay, a fitness center, guest suites and a woodworking shop.

Shares range from $65,000 for one-bedroom units to $125,000 for the largest two-bedroom unit. Monthly costs, which include the mortgage for the building, maintenance and taxes, range from $895 to $1,645.

Village Cooperative of West Des Moines has minimum income requirements. Residents must earn between $23,000 and $43,000 per year depending on unit. There is no income maximum.

Dick Patton, Jenny Muzik and Randy Berglin pose with the “Washington Elementary School” Little Free Library after it was erected on Wednesday, April 22. They put in 125 hours to construct the library to be a replica of the old school building. (Annie Harman | Echo Press)

Walking around the residential area of Alexandria, it’s not uncommon to stumble upon what appears to be a birdhouse full of books.

Don’t be fooled. These clever boxes are much more than that: they are libraries.

According to the Little Free Library website, there were 10 registered libraries in Alexandria.

Jenny Muzik just bumped that number up to 11.

With help from Randy Berglin, who originated the idea, and Dick Patton at the Village Cooperative (Co-op) in Alexandria, 125 hours went into the construction of a miniature replica of the old Washington Elementary School, which used to be housed in the building the Co-op now occupies. The replica is registered as #21771 through the Little Free Library program.

Muzik filled the newest Little Free Library on Wednesday, April 22, with books that will appeal to readers of all ages.

“We even got some Westerns for the gentlemen who want to read those,” she said with a laugh. Muzik included a notepad in the “Washington Elementary School” library to allow readers to write down when they borrow a book.

Little Free Library was incorporated as a nonprofit with the mission of promoting literacy and building a sense of community through free book exchanges.

Individuals can design and build their own libraries, or purchase them from the program’s website. Once a library is registered, the owner is sent an official numbered plaque and is placed on a Google map.

For more information on Little Free Libraries or to find the location of local libraries, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.

Happy reading!

LIBRARY FUN FACTS

There are currently between 10,000 and 11,000 Little Free Libraries in 52 countries. On average, each library goes through a minimum of 25 books per month, equating to at least 3 million books being donated and borrowed in the last year.

Lenexa, KS / April 21st – On Wednesday, May 6th at 1pm, the Village Cooperative of Lenexa, a senior housing cooperative, will host an Informational Seminar at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 12601 West 95th Street, Lenexa. The seminar will provide information regarding the proposed age 55+ cooperative planned for Lenexa. The informational seminar will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the financial benefits & lifestyle of maintenance free cooperative living. Shane Wright, Project Manager, Real Estate Equities Development, LLC is the speaker for this event.

Senior housing cooperatives began in the 1970’s in Minnesota. There are approximately 105 senior cooperatives in the U.S., mostly found in the Midwest. There are currently 20 Village Cooperatives either operating, under construction, or being pre-marketed and can be found in five different states in the Midwest.

“Our company started developing Village Cooperative communities in 2003 because we saw the desire for this type of dynamic lifestyle. These communities give adults around the Midwest the option of an ownership, hassle-free lifestyle. We include the amenities they desire and all for a good value,” said Keith Jans, President of Real Estate Equities Development, LLC.

The 3-story Village Cooperative will consist of 53 new homes located in a convenient location close to shopping and many activities for members to enjoy. The Village will also feature beautifully decorated community areas including a community room with kitchen, guest suite, club room, reading areas, outdoor gardening beds, fitness center and underground heated parking.

Members will have the choice of expertly designed one and two bedroom homes that range from 842 to 1,510 sq. ft. of living space. Each home is completely maintenance-free and has its own separate laundry room, storage area and private balcony. Well-equipped kitchens include spacious, open floor plans with kitchen islands, all new appliances, and a choice of cabinetry to suit their personal style.

The cooperative will also employ an on-site resident services manager as well as offer courtesy services.

As a cooperative, the members control every aspect of ownership. There is no other senior cooperative in the area that offers the convenience and easy lifestyle available at Village Cooperative.

Shane Wright is the Project Manager and Steve Jahnke is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Real Estate Equities Development, LLC.

The Village Cooperative is offered by Real Estate Equities Development, LLC, a Twin-Cities, Minnesota based real estate development and property management firm with its roots dating back to the 1970’s. Over the past decade, Real Estate Equities Development has developed over 30 projects comprising 1,417 units with a value of $235,000,000 in urban, suburban, and medium-sized Midwestern communities.

FARGO – Change is hard, and it gets even harder with age. But sometimes it’s necessary.

As seniors’ health declines, their homes may no longer meet their needs, forcing them to make in-home adaptations, remodel or move to a single-level, which can take some convincing by family, friends and health care providers.

She says emotional ties to a house, decades’ worth of belongings, limited finances and stubbornness can complicate the matter, so the sooner you start talking about options, the better.

“But realistically, most people aren’t going to do a lot until something forces them to really think about it,” like a mobility-limiting joint replacement, she says.

Here, Busack makes suggestions for home adaptations that would be beneficial for seniors with increasing needs.

The bathroom

Bursack recommends starting with a home’s bathrooms, where falls are most likely to happen.

“As far as I’m concerned, the bathroom is the most dangerous room, and it’s also the one where people can make small changes, even if they’re relatively healthy,” she says.

Those changes might include:

Using a portable high toilet seat.

Installing grab bars near the toilet and in the shower/tub. Eid-Co builds the vanity close to the toilet so people can use it for steadying themselves.

Putting a shower chair with a back in the shower. Eid-Co’s patio homes include built-in shower chairs.

Installing a handheld showerhead.

Adding non-slip tub mats to the shower/tub.

“You don’t have to be really disabled to start thinking about a grab bar, a shower chair and a handheld showerhead,” Bursack adds.

The kitchen

Bursack says the next-most-important room is the kitchen, which in most homes is heavily trafficked.

Keep assistive devices, such as bottle and jar openers, nearby.

On/off and temperature indicators, especially those on the stove, should be well-marked. Many new appliances can be programmed to shut off automatically after a period of time.

Raised dishwashers, available in Eid-Co patio homes, make loading and unloading easier for those with back or knee problems, as do their large kitchen drawers.

Lighting and alarms

The more light, the better. “Older eyes simply need more light. Even good older eyes tend to need more light,” Bursack says. Increasing light also helps seniors spot items they might otherwise trip over and can help improve mood issues, especially during the winter months.

Replace old light bulbs with new, higher-wattage bulbs.

Outdoor and indoor motion-sensor lights increase light and safety without drastically increasing the electric bill, a concern for many seniors. Eid-Co patio homes have a daylight timer on exterior lights so they turn on automatically at dusk.

A mat with a sensor in it can alert a caregiver when an elder gets out of bed, and a sensor across a door can alert a caregiver when an elder leaves the home.

Depending on how vulnerable the person is, a personal alarm can help, even if it goes off accidentally. “I made a lot of trips over to my mom’s when she really didn’t need me, but I also made some trips over there when it was vital and she was hurt,” Bursack says. She emphasizes that while useful, technology does not replace human care and interaction. “An elder can wear a personal alarm for emergencies or even have sensors placed around the house to track movement, but nothing can replace a phone call or visit,” she says.

Extras

For seniors who are unwilling to downsize to a single-level home, adding a bedroom and bathroom to the main floor or installing a stair lift are good compromises that may also boost the home’s resale value.

Extra railings and handrails can help with balance issues. Jason Eid says he hasn’t installed many handrails but that the walls are equipped for them.

Lever handles are easier for arthritic hands to operate than doorknobs.

Bursack went through several recliner chairs with lift seats (aka “lift chairs”) with her parents. “I think we wore out three of them with Mom and a couple with my dad,” she says.

Bursack prefers that seniors get rid of any throw rugs they might have because they’re easy to trip on, but if they won’t, at least ask them to swap them for rubber-backed ones.

]]>http://www.villagecooperative.com/press-photos/4523/caregiver-homebuilder-offer-tips-for-senior-in-home-safety/feed/0Village Co-op Residents Turn out for Trail Clean-uphttp://www.villagecooperative.com/press-photos/4474/village-co-op-residents-turn-out-for-trail-clean-up/
http://www.villagecooperative.com/press-photos/4474/village-co-op-residents-turn-out-for-trail-clean-up/#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 18:44:12 +0000jtravalent@reeliving.comhttp://www.villagecooperative.com/?p=4474MASON CITY March 14, 2015 – People aren’t the only ones who leave their trash behind. Village Cooperative of Mason City member Doug Lee shows off an antler he found Saturday morning while picking up winter debris left behind by humans, too. Shown with Lee are volunteers Dick Smith (left) and Darrell Hackbarth (right). The group of Co-op volunteers also included Carroll Bogard, Roger Brownmiller, Mary Miller, and Larry Schuler. Members gathered trash along the Taft Ave. walking trail from W. State St. 4th’ St. NW.

Village Co-op volunteers Larry Schuler (seated), Mary Miller, and Dick Smith take a break at W. State St. and Taft Ave. to combine and compress trash they gathered along the Taft Ave. walking trail adjacent to the Village Cooperative ast 275 N. Taft. Ave.. Many Co-op members walk regularly for pleasure and good health and often gather trash as they go. Co-op members are active in the city’s Adopt a Street program. The area adopted stretches from the Plaza West mall entrance north to 4th St. N.W.

Former Mason City schools administrator Carroll Bogard deposits a bag of trash along the Taft Ave. walking trail Saturday morning, March 14. He was part of a crew of Village Cooperative volunteers participating in the city’s Adopt a Street spring-cleaning the trail that runs past the Co-op at 275 N. Taft Ave.